Bariatric Program Coordinator

Summary The Bariatric Program Coordinator is responsible and accountable for the overall clinical development of the accredited bariatric program and other bariatric weight loss services. The Coordinator provides clinical leadership, advises strategic direction, develops quality improvement strategies, enhances program components, provides patient education, and develops patient support mechanisms and post-operative follow-up.

The Program Coordinator is the clinical expert of the program and will direct the program as per the guidelines of the current accreditation. The Program Coordinator is a CRMC liaison to the Bariatric Surgeons and CRMC’s Bariatric Accreditation expert. The Bariatric Program Coordinator must also utilize current clinical practice guidelines as he/she assigns or delegates care to other qualified members of the healthcare team.

The Bariatric Coordinator will coordinate processes between other professional disciplines as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

These duties and responsibilities described below represent the general tasks performed on a daily basis; other tasks may be assigned. Core Requirements for Day-to-Day Operations of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center’s Comprehensive Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Attend required hospital-wide orientations, meetings, and in-services.

Demonstrate a commitment to flexible work scheduling when necessary to ensure patient care. Monitor all bariatric program processes. Assist in budget preparation. Organize the components of the bariatric program. Meet weekly with the Bariatric Medical Director. Serve as Chesapeake Regional Medical Center’s Bariatric Program Accreditation expert.

Comply with all MBSAQIP Accreditation Standards. Provide mechanisms that ensure the program and nursing care follow accreditation standards and guidelines. Continue to ensure current accreditation guidelines and amendments are followed. Complete all re-accreditation documentation. Maintain call schedules for bariatric surgeons.

Patient Care Management Utilize patient care pathways for the bariatric surgical patient. Facilitate and coordinate bariatric surgery patient information seminars and support groups. Provide resources to potential and pre-surgical patients. Develop an individualized multidisciplinary plan of care for the bariatric surgical patient, including the patient and others at the patient’s request.

Facilitate and coordinate bariatric surgery pre-surgical education. Complete nursing physical assessments of pre-surgical patients including history, medications, vital signs, height, weight, BMI, and specific measurements, and document appropriately. Assist patients in meeting requirements for bariatric surgery, including but not limited to providing direction to appropriate consultations as required by the treating physician.

Communicate information to all members of the multidisciplinary care team. Assist with or provide care plans for the follow-up of bariatric surgery patients and document appropriately. Maintain and document feedback. Utilize feedback to continually improve the bariatric program in an effort to provide excellent patient care and positive outcomes.

Work in collaboration with all members of the multidisciplinary care team, including but not limited to nurse managers, physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and staff at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. Quality and Performance Improvement Develop QI strategies. Chair the Bariatric QA Committee. Develop a quality matrix for the Bariatric QA Committee.

Ensure the Bariatric QA Committee meets bi-monthly and that data provided to the committee is transparent. Report quality matrix results and outliers to OSQC as per assigned reporting periods. Conduct continual assessment of the program for opportunities for improvement. Perform M&M quarterly sessions, requesting no less than 30 days for Bariatric Surgeons to provide cases for discussion and review.

Consult the Department of Performance Improvement as needed. Stakeholder Education Serve as a resource to all departments in the care of the bariatric patient and as an educational resource for community outreach. Facilitate and coordinate education for CRMC staff and physicians. Maintain and update patient care pathways utilizing evidence-based practices to create an environment of excellent care for the bariatric patient.

Maintain guidelines for CRMC’s Comprehensive Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. Provide updates for bariatric resource manuals to CRMC/CRMG staff and maintain a positive working relationship with Clinical Nurse Educators to provide annual in-service education as needed. Maintain a comprehensive bariatric surgery guide.

Assist staff in completing and maintaining competencies in the care of the bariatric surgery patient. Maintain policies and protocols for the bariatric program and multidisciplinary care team. Human Resource Management Work with nurse managers and educators to monitor and evaluate staff performance in accordance with established standards for the bariatric patient.

Encourage a culture of sensitivity to the bariatric patient. Demonstrate the ability to ensure compliance with policies and procedures. Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate the vision, mission, and goals of CRMC, including hospital and department-specific dashboards. Demonstrate the ability to implement a program structure and process that supports participative management.

Demonstrate the ability to foster an open work environment that is conducive to teamwork and encourages communication. Demonstrate the ability to follow administrative protocols. Demonstrate effective problem-solving, conflict resolution, and negotiating skills. Demonstrate constructive and effective relationships with staff, peers, and customers.

Maintain positive employee relations and good employee morale. Emphasize a team approach to work. Motivate and mentor others to strive for “excellence.” Create a culture within the department that promotes cooperation, teamwork, and collective problem-solving. Proactively deal with conflict in a timely manner. Supervisory Responsibilities Reports To: Director of Operations, CRMG Supervises: Bariatric Dietician Bariatric Clinical Reviewer Bariatric Educator Medical Weight Management Responsibilities Core requirements of the Comprehensive Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).

Monitoring all bariatric program processes. Assisting in budget preparation. Organizing the components of the bariatric and medical weight management programs.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience

Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse. Preferred Education: Certification as a Bariatric Nurse or willingness to obtain. Experience: Four (4) years of experience in a hospital or other clinical setting in a coordinator or leadership role. Experience working with bariatrics preferred. Computer skills and medical records knowledge are helpful.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Certification as a Bariatric Nurse or willingness to obtain.